Scared
by Vengeful
Summary: Tony's near death experience brings about some interesting revelations for Kate. Tate Post SWAK


**A/N: Hey. Well, this is post SWAK. I hope you like this little piece. Please, leave a review!**

**Disclaimer:** If I owned it, no one would be dying!

**Edited October 26, 2008: Grammar, a small bit of content. **

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She never knew how much she loved him until that day. In fact, that thought had never even crossed Kate Todd's mind. Sure, her heart fluttered when he was near her, and jealousy brewed in her mind when he talked about his latest lay, but she always blamed it on the fact that he was a very attractive man, and she was, after all, only human.

But she never thought she could love him, until the doctor told her he was infected. It was in that moment that she finally figured out her feelings. Her heart dropped at the news, and her eyes moistened. She finally found her voice and on shaky legs, walked over to him. She wasn't sure why she told him she was infected, but she did. Perhaps it was to have an excuse to stay by his side, or maybe it was out of her fear for his safety. Whatever it was, she had never been so scared. And when he started coughing up blood, and she was kicked out, she finally broke. Her mind raced as she wondered what she would do if he died. Especially if he went without knowing how she felt.

"I love him," she had softly whispered as Ducky hugged her. He was the only one to hear her confession.

"I know," he replied. Her confession had come as no surprise, for he had seen the way the two looked at each other when they thought no one was looking. Just as Tony didn't catch the looks of longing Kate threw at him when he wasn't looking, she didn't seem to notice the similar looks he directed at her behind her back. But to everyone else, it was obvious. Now she was finally admitting it, and he hoped that her confession didn't come too late.

The day he almost died was perhaps the best day of his life. It was the day that he realized that he was in love with Kate Todd. He realized this when she told him he was infected. When his breath stopped, and his heart dropped, he knew it was not from disease but from horror. The thought that she could be dying because of him outweighed any concern he felt for himself. It was a feeling he had never felt before, and when he realized she was okay, he was overcome with a sense of relief, and a new feeling, one that he knew was the reason he was still alive.

As he had lay in that bed, seemingly on the brink of death, he hadn't seen his life flash before his eyes, like they say you do. No, it had been her face he saw. Her face, her smile,

Now he looked over to the next bed, where she was peacefully sleeping. A smile spread across his face. She looked so peaceful, and he wanted nothing more then to go over to her and tell her how he felt. Her eyes fluttered open and he blushed as she he realized that she had caught him staring.

"Hey," he said softly, his voice still hoarse.

"Feeling better?" she asked, the concern evident in her voice. He just nodded. Behind the glass window, the two doctors observed the two.

"Someone's going to get some tonight," the man laughed, his face still aged with signs of his struggle to keep his charge alive.

"Shut up, you perv," his companion replied, managing a smile as well. "They look happy. God knows they deserve it, after today."

"Deserve it they might, but I swear, anymore of that eye sex and I'm going to have nightmares!" he answered.

"Always the gentleman," muttered the woman as she reached to enter the room.

Inside the room, Kate moved over and settled herself on the edge of Tony's bed.

"Why did you tell me you were sick?" he asked. Kate froze. Damn, he remembered.

"I don't know," she answered. Okay, so that was a lie.

"I'm glad you were here," he said honestly. He was too tired to tell the truth at this point. They had been jumping around this point for some time now, doing all they could to avoid any sort of conversation on the topic. But now, now he was done. If anything, this experience had given him a much needed push to brave the unknown, so to speak. He moved his hand to cover hers. She didn't pull away as he expected, but allowed it to be held. He looked up into her eyes, and saw something he had never seen there before. Slowly, he leaned up and she leaned back down. But before they could seal the kiss, the doors slid open and they jumped apart.

"We just need to check up on you," the doctor interrupted, grinning a bit at the irritation on his patient's face.

"Feeling great doc!" he exclaimed, a bit miffed the he had been interrupted when he was just about to kiss Kate. She had taken her hand off of his when the doctors came in, and Tony was hoping they would finish what they had started when they were alone again.

Kate's mind raced as the doctor checked up on Tony. What had just happened? Had he almost kissed her? Would he have had the doctor not interrupted? She didn't know what was going on. All she knew was that she wanted him. She needed him. She just hoped that he felt the same way.

After the doctors were done checking on him, they allowed letting him go home. With a wide grin, he turned to Kate.

"So, can I get a ride home?" She nodded, unable to really reply. He followed her to her car, which Abby had brought in for her earlier.

"Would you like to come in for a while?" he asked as she drove up to his apartment. "I mean, who knows when I might need a sponge bath..."

She laughed nervously at his poor attempt at humor. "Sure," she said at length, prepared to flee the moment things took a turn for the worse, not really sure if it was a good idea or not. Tony studied her face as they stepped out of the car. A myriad of expressions crossed her face as she followed him in. There was an uncomfortable silence as they stood in the hallway.

"So…"

"So…" they said at the same time. Kate laughed nervously. 'Why am I so nervous?' she wondered. 'Its DiNozzo, he's my friend!'.

Oh yeah, it's because we nearly kissed, she remembered, blushing faintly at the almost memory.

'I wonder if she is as nervous as I am,.' thought Tony. He took a step towards her. "So, I guess I never properly thanked you for staying with me." She looked up in his eyes.

"I guess you didn't," she said softly. He softly brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. Slowly, he leaned down and touched her lips with his own. Her eyes fluttered shut as she deepened the kiss. He wrapped his arms tightly around, smiling into the kiss. They slowly pulled back and he looked at her, trying to gauge her reaction. She grinned.

"Wow," was all she said.

"You can say that again," he agreed.

"Tony, is this… what are we doing?" she was visibly nervous as she studied him.

"Kate, do you really think I would have kissed you if all I wanted was a one-night stand?" he asked.

"I don't know Tony…" he was a bit hurt that she would question his intentions, but he couldn't really blame her. He did have a horrible track record.

"Kate, I would never hurt you. I love you too much." Her eyes widened in shock and he groaned as he realized what he had just said.

"What?" she whispered.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean, I mean I did mean it but I didn't mean to say it…" a soft pair of lips on his owns stopped his ramblings.

"Do you mean it?"

"Yes." She smiled and kissed him again. He looked at her, confused.

"I love you Tony. I think I always have," she told him. He grinned and pulled her close.

"I love you to Kate." With those words out, he knew that this was it. No more running around, and sleeping with a new woman every night. He had finally found where he belonged. What ever came their way, they would deal with it together.

He was no longer frightened.

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**A/N: well, I don't know how that turned out. I am so tired I don't think it probably made sense. But review anyways, and tell me what you think!**

**Emily--**

**POST NOTE: Yeah, beyond saving. I did what I could gramatically, but even that was at a very basic level. **


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